One Foot Forward
by Ohyesidid
Summary: John goes home to see his family to try and mend fences. This is a one-shot


Stargate Atlantis One Foot Forward

Here is a one-shot about John and his Dad hop you enjoy it.

….#...#...#...

Why am I doing this, I _can't help but thinking to myself, this is a bad idea._

_They don't want to see me after all it's been 8 years since the last time we talked to each other. Longer if I count all the times we were not yelling at each other, due to a stalemate in a fight._

_Looking out at the scenery as I drive towards the house I grew up in with my dad and brother Dave, after mom died. I can't help but think back to all those fights and battles we had against each other._

_The last fight I had with my dad keeps popping into my head, since I made the decision to try and mend fences. After all that I have seen since being in Atlantis, all the death and close calls not just my life but my team and friends._

_I had just turned 18, and signed the papers to join the Air Force. I always loved to fly even as a kid, the feel of being in the air, above the Earth. Amazing._

_I was proud to be serving my country, the fact I would be doing it as a pilot was just a bonus. I had been thinking about it for a while, somehow I made myself believe my father and brother would be proud too._

_Man, if someone could be more wrong about anything in the world it would have been me, about how they would feel._

_The screaming and fighting that followed my announcement was the worst we ever had before. I wanted them to understand what I was doing and why._

_So I continued to fight with them trying to stay calm as I explained. But I'm a Sheppard I should have known better. Then my world stopped and it felt like I was alone._

"_If you walk out that door for the Air Force or flying then you are no longer apart of this family. If you walk out that door don't you ever come back here. You won't be welcomed in my house ever again, you're no son of mine!"_

_I just stared at him in shock, he can't be serious, but he is, just looking at his face. That tone of voice is one I have never heard before in the last 18 years._

_Dave is standing behind my dad's desk looking just as shocked as I am. However, he doesn't try and stop me as I turn and leave. _

_I grabbed my bag, I hear nothing but silence as I leave behind what was left of my family and haven't thought about this house and my family since. Just as I hit the front lawn I heard my name being called, I spun on my heel to see Dave come out of the house._

"_John come on think about this, is this what you really want?" Dave asks as he finally catches up with me._

_Turning around to my car I throw my bag in the backseat before turning back to Dave "Yes I am sure, this is my choice and I have made it. That's not going to change if you and dad can't accept that then I guess that's it."_

_Putting his hand on the door to stop it from closing. " John stay and go to school, work in the business."_

_Shacking my head at him I give a forced laughed "No Dave I can't do that I've joined the Air Force there is no going back." _

_Pulling onto his street I pull over to the side of the road, to gather my thoughts. What if they don't want to see me, and throw me out?_

_Once I had joined I would get an odd email or rare phone call. Mostly from Dave, or a friend from school, never my dad. It's like they forgot about me moved and moved on like I never existed, just like my dad said. _

_Yet here I am trying to see them, fix the past. Oh who am I kidding this is a mistake, a huge one, massive._

_Okay, here it goes now or never. Man I wish Teyla was here she would know what to say, I really wish she was._

_Once I pull into the driveway I put on what Rodney calls my Military face. Don't know what that means exactly after all its Rodney speaking. _

_Knock knock. "Yes can I help you sir?" Says a very nice lady in a maid's uniform._

"_Ahh yes is Mr. Sheppard here?" Suddenly unsure of myself, if I was making the right choice._

"_No sir he is not currently home." Wow can you believe that._

_Two galaxies, thousands of miles, and he is not even here. Does the universe hate me that much wow. Not sure what I'm going to do now._

"_Sir would you like to leave a message for Mr. Sheppard?" She asked me in a very polite voice._

"_Oh no that's okay, does his son Dave still live here?"_

_Granted Dave is in his forties I have no idea where he lives now. Being as I haven't stepped foot in the state in the 15 years since I was disowned._

"_No sir he lives closer to the Sheppard building." Ahh yes the super successful business I wanted no part of, which also made my dad very mad, no say the least._

"_Mr. Sheppard will be home in a few hours if you would like to come back." _

"_Right thank you ma'am." Turning on my heel I can't help thinking over and over again that I need to get out of here. _

_That had been a mistake I never should have gone they don't want to see me they made that clear a long time ago._

_Picking up my phone as I pull out I make a call to get out of here. "Hey, yes Coronal Carter I am done, they weren't home."_

"_Sheppard did you want to stay there you could try again later?" Carter asked concerned over my very brief trip. _

"_No I'd rather not"_

"_In that case I have some marines at the base near you, who could use your set of skills. They need some common sense knocked into them. Jack is there you two can get them into shape quick."_

"_Yes I can do that; I'll head over there now. And thanks Carter."_

"_No problem I will call Jack and let him know you're on your way"_

_Yes this is what I need going at it with marines not the most healthy choice but it works for me. Running with Ronan or sparing it gets my mind off things._

_I need to get my head away from the disaster that just occurred._

_Sure I should go back and try again, but I can't right now I need to regroup before I try again. Pulling up to the base I can see General O'Neal talking to a Coronal on the steps._

_Once he finishes I step up next to him. "Sir Carter said you might need my help?"_

"_Yes Sheppard she told me you were in town meeting with the big guys up stairs?"_

"_Regular IOA crap to deal with sir." Thankfully they saw it my way this time._

_Laughing we start down the steps toward the field where the marines were waiting for us. "Drop the Sir crap; you don't stand on ceremony and neither do I."_

"_Well the General where would you like to start?"_

_Several hours later we are cleaning marines off the field, it felt good being back training. Almost like Atlantis, we keep our marines constantly training. You never know what the Pegasus galaxy will throw at you._

…_..#...#...#...#..._

_Patrick Sheppard was a very busy man, who doesn't like surprises. _

_However, sitting here in my office I can't help but be just that, surprised. Very surprises. I had just come home from the office to change for the Gala we are having tonight to benefit the homeless. _

_When my maid stops me to tell me a gentleman stopped by the house looking for me and asked if my son Dave lived here. That is in of itself not surprising it's the fact it was an Air Force Coronal who stopped by._

_He didn't leave his name or a message, just asked if we were here and then left._

_My other son John is in the Air Force, it made me think something happened to him. When I asked Jennifer what this man looked like she described John to the letter. I know he had become a Coronal a few years back._

_John had come back, but why, I always regretted what I said to him that day he told me he joined. I was very proud deep down, but terrified would have to bury him._

_It's no excuse but I lashed out at him. It put me and Dave at odds for weeks. They hadn't been close in years, but they were still brothers._

_I don't even know how to contact him to ask him to come back if was even him. I have friends in the military, old buddies from my school days; they may know how to get ahold of him._

"_Dad what are you doing? The Gala is starting in an hour." I look up to see Dave standing there._

"_Dave, Yes sorry I got distracted I just need to get ready." But I don't move just continue to stare at the photo on my desk, of my boys when they we're little._

"_Dad did something happen you seem off?" Dave asked me._

"_Yes Jennifer told me when I got home that an Air Force Coronal stopped by the house to see me, asked about you too. The guy she described was John."_

_Dave is silent for a full minute just staring at me._

"_John was here, but why it's been 8 years since we last heard from him?"_

_Shaking my head. "I don't know but he was here and I want to talk to him. I do regret what I said all those years ago."_

"_Then why didn't you reach out to him, why now, he disappeared off the face of the earth when he got sent to Antarctica 6 years ago?"_

_I can tell Dave is angry, at me, at John, at himself. Now that I know he was here, that he wanted to see me I want to make amends._

"_I wish I could answer that I really do. I just know that he is here and I want my son back. I've accepted his career choice. I still love him as much as I love you."_

"_Okay so what now? How do you plan to find him he didn't leave a number, anyway to get in touch with him?"_

_Glad my oldest son understands and wants John back as much as I do._

"_I don't know Dave but I will find away."_

…_#...#...#...#..._

_So I know its not all that it was just something I had in my head hope you like it at least._


End file.
